Walking Among Demons
by Subaiku85
Summary: My version of what Kenshin goes through during the ten year period between the events in the OAV and the actual anime. Vampires and dark magic start making its presence known after quitting the Ishin Shishi. Please R&R, the summary sucks but check out the


http:www.users.globalnet.co.uk/jasen01/art/nasmithAcross%20Gorgoroth.jpg  
  
Chapter 1: Falling Dusk  
  
Water dripping can be heard in the dark caverns miles below the earth's crust. Normally, such a depth would be cold like a tomb but it's also very near the mantle of the planet so the temperature balances out. Still, the atmosphere is choking, such darkness...such desolation.  
  
In there inhabits the necromancer Deuel. He fled from the lands of the West during a time that most books call the Spanish Inquisition. He is older than the earth he walks on, yet he can't seem to remember what happened before this time of religious revival. He remembers deceiving many. During those times of old, simply passing what you supposedly heard from words of mouth is enough to convict someone. Sure enough, many hapless people died because Deuel heard one thing from one person and told the wrong person what they want to hear the least. Instigating is fun business. However, he overstepped when he deceived the town pastor's daughter. He said he was the second coming of God and with magic, he got hitched with her. When the stool was kicked for his hanging, he vanished and appeared in another land, looking for more systems to deconstruct.  
  
Many centuries later, Deuel, Talker of the Dead found Japan towards the end of the Bakumatsu. Deuel's tongue tasted the air. "Ripe for spawning!" he said demonically. What could he mean?  
  
All over the violent streets of Kyoto, bodies are strewn on the streets, some fresh, some fresh for the flies. No one notices that the dead bodies are disappearing, there are too many lying around. Each night, Deuel takes a few.  
  
"HEY YOU! BODY SNATCHER!" yelled a voice behind Deuel.  
  
Deuel knew he was being watched. Before the night was over, he planned to exterminate this man and his three cohorts. However, it looks like the process sped up.  
  
"You should have stayed out of this." said the hooded Talker of the Dead. "Then again, I'm never one to give advice."  
  
The earth around the three people accusing Deuel opened up.  
  
"H-Hey, what's going on here!?"  
  
Famous last words. The four men cease to walk the face of the earth from that moment on. "That's four more supporting my ::chuckle:: cause." Deuel grinned a mouthful of ivory white eye teeth, a bone-chilling sight.  
  
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After killing a boat full of Shinsengumi, the Battousai shook the blood off his katana and sheathed it. "I've became more sloppy." he reported to no one in particular. He steered the boat away from its intended course and sailed to nowhere in particular. Eventually, the assassin-turned-wanderer could no longer see land. He sighed in relief. He is done with this killing business. He doesn't care what kind of life he leads now, as long as his life doesn't involve ceasing another's.  
  
Kenshin soon learned that the galleon he took over required a crew to run. Choosing to stand alone, he had no one to cooperate with. Not bothering to deal with the effort of piloting this warship, he took all the cannons and explosives and put them all in the lower decks of the ship. Drawing his sword, he struck another his back-up blade and created a spark, lighting the long fuse. He cut the restraints, and in a few moments, Kenshin was in a lifeboat, propelling away with his sheathed katana. A few more moments later, the galleon that formerly belonged to the Shinsengumi exploded sky high. As promised, that's his last assignment, he doesn't even have to return to Ishin Shishi headquarters any longer. The revolutionaries he worked with have plenty of proof since they're scanning the shores for a boat explosion. And they got one. Kenshin let the lifeboat drift and with the katana on his left hand, he went to sleep.  
  
He dreamt he was an innkeeper. A suitable job. He is still helping others and this time, he doesn't need to kill. Fulfills the original reason he became a Hitokiri and unlike the tasks of a Hitokiri, it doesn't agitate his conscience. As he settled down for the night, someone rapped on his window.  
  
"May I come in?" asked a voice though all the windows are closed and doors are locked. Normally a voice of that volume would be muted.  
  
"Who are you?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"I'm hungry, are you really forbidding my entrance?" the voice insisted. I felt a stab of guilt that I'm not letting the stranger in.  
  
"Ye-?" He cut his answer short. He still doesn't know who this stranger is!  
  
"Was that a yes? Shinta "Kenshin" Himura Or shall I say Hitokiri Battousai? My slayer." A pale face came to view in the window.  
  
She shouldn't be outside the window like that. She'll either have to fly or she's not human. "You'll have to be more clear on who that is. I was the slayer for quite a few people."  
  
"Please, bid my entrance. Who else knows all the names you go by and female at the same time?" insisted the female stranger. Strangely enough she suddenly seemed very...desirable.  
  
It dawned on the Battousai. "Tomoe!?" he exclaimed.  
  
"Yes, now please, open this window." In the dream, Kenshin got out of bed and walked toward the window. Still, something doesn't click right. However, Kenshin's outward appearance showed nothing thanks to years of training under Seijuro. He readied his sword. He opened the window and sure enough, the female isn't Tomoe. She has short red hair and her kimono was almost completely off of her, showing most of her chest.  
  
"You're mine, human!" With that, the pale fanged woman attacked, seeming to fly yet...that is not humanly possible..  
  
"Please," Kenshin had a blade pressed to the woman's neck with less time than it takes to blink. "...is this how you repay hospitality?"  
  
"Is this how you repay your wife for dying for you? By killing her?" she asked in return. This struck Kenshin aback. That was all she needs. In a moment, she had the Battousai in a headlock.  
  
"YOUKAI! Get out!" Kenshin pushed down on his scabbard, knocking it up and striking the vampire's head back. She is definitely not human. A blow like that would normally dislocate the bones in the neck instead of merely stunning her. Kenshin isn't taking second chances. He took his drawn blade and struck it between the vampire's eyes. She shrieked and flew out the window. Upon hearing the glass shattering, Kenshin awoke with a start. 


End file.
